1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage case for a disc cartridge in which an optical disc, magneto-optic disc, magnetic disc or the like is enclosed.
2. Description of Related Art
Each of an optical disc cartridge, magneto-optic disc cartridge, magnetic disc cartridge, etc. is a cartridge in which a disc-like recording medium is enclosed. Generally, a disc cartridge not intended for immediate use in a disc player or a disc drive or a one to be carried from one to another place, is put, for storage or carrying, in a case (will be referred to as "storage case" herein). The storage case serves to prevent the cartridge shutter from inadvertently being opened. If the shutter is opened with the disc cartridge being naked, the disc cartridge itself is opened directly to outside so that foreign matter such as dust will easily come into the cartridge through the access aperture for write and read and contaminate the disc surface thus exposed. Also the storage case can protect the disc cartridge against external shock or impact applied to the disc cartridge. If the disc cartridge is dropped carelessly or hit by anything, an impact applied to the disc cartridge will possibly cause the shutter to be damaged and become inoperable. To avoid the above troubles, a disc cartridge not intended for immediate use should desirably be stored in a storage case.
Heretofore, there have been proposed various types of disc cartridge storage cases. FIG. 1 shows a typical one of the conventional disc cartridge storage cases. It is generally indicated with a reference 101. The storage case 101 is formed to have sufficient dimensions to receive a disc cartridge. It consists of an upper half 102 and lower half 103, each formed like a plate. The upper and lower halves 102 and 103 are joined to each other to form the storage case 101. The storage case 101 has an opening 104 defined at the front thereof and through which a disc cartridge is inserted into or taken out of the storage case 101.
The upper half 102 is formed like a generally rectangular plate somewhat larger in size than the plane of the disc cartridge and provided with rising walls 102a, 102b and 102c formed integrally along the circumference thereof except for the front edge thereof for the insertion opening 104. Each of the opposite rising walls 102a and 102b in pair has an engagement projection 105 formed integrally on the outer surface thereof.
The lower half 103 is formed like a generally rectangular plate somehow larger in size than the plane of the disc cartridge and provided with rising walls 103a, 103b and 103c formed integrally along the circumference thereof except for the front edge thereof for the insertion opening 104. Each of the opposite rising walls 103a and 103b in pair has an engagement recess 107 formed in the inner surface thereof. In the lower half 103, there is installed at a rear inner surface portion of each of the rising walls 102a and 102b a catch 108 which is to be engaged into an engagement cut 108 formed on each of side faces of a disc cartridge generally parallel to the inserting direction of the disc cartridge. When a disc cartridge is inserted into the storage case 101, the catches 108 will be engaged into the corresponding engagement cuts of the disc cartridge to retain the disc cartridge in place inside the storage case 101.
The upper and lower halves 102 and 103 are assembled together to form the storage case 101 by sliding and engaging the engagement projections 105 of the upper half 102 into the corresponding engagement recesses 107 of the lower half 103, as will further be described later. Thus, the upper and lower halves 102 and 103 define together a space 106 for receiving a disc cartridge. As shown, each of the upper and lower halves 102 and 103 has a cut 109 formed in the front edge thereof and at which a rear end portion of a disc cartridge put in the reception space 106 can be pinched.
A disc cartridge is inserted into the reception space 106 of the storage case 101 through the insertion opening 104 in the same manner that it is inserted into a disc player or disc drive. Namely, the front end of the disc cartridge is first inserted into the storage case 101. When the disc cartridge is received in the reception space 106, the catches 108 fall into the corresponding engagement cuts 108 of the disc cartridge to retain it in place. The disc cartridge thus put in the storage case 101 can be taken out of the storage case 101 by holding, with fingers, the portion thereof exposed in the cuts 109 of the storage case 101.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated another example of conventional disc cartridge storage case. The storage case is generally indicated with a reference 111. The storage case 111 is formed to have sufficient dimensions to receive a disc cartridge. It consists of an upper half 112 and lower half 113, each formed like a plate. The upper and lower halves 112 and 113 are joined to each other to form the storage case 111. The storage case 111 has an opening 114 defined at the front thereof and through which a disc cartridge is inserted into or taken out of the storage case 111.
The upper half 112 is formed like a generally rectangular plate somewhat larger in size than the plane of the disc cartridge and provided with rising walls 112a, 112b and 112c formed integrally along the circumference thereof except for the front edge thereof for the insertion opening 114. Each of the opposite rising walls 112a and 112b in pair has a rail 115 formed integrally on the outer surface thereof. In the upper half 112, there is formed integrally at a rear inner surface portion of each of the rising walls 112a and 112b a catch 118 which is to be engaged into an engagement cut formed on each of side faces of a disc cartridge generally parallel to the inserting direction of the disc cartridge.
The lower half 113 is formed like a generally rectangular plate somehow larger in size than the plane of the disc cartridge and provided with rising walls 113a, 113b and 113c formed integrally along the circumference thereof except for the front edge thereof for the insertion opening 114. Each of the opposite rising walls 113a and 113b in pair has an engagement recess 117 formed in the inner surface thereof. Each of the upper and lower halves 112 and 113 has a cut 119 formed in the front edge thereof and at which a rear end portion of a disc cartridge put in the reception space 116 can be pinched. Also, there is formed integrally on the front edge of the lower half 113 a catch 121 which secures printed sheets of paper 120 which will be placed on the bottom of the lower half 113. The upper and lower halves 112 and 113 are assembled together to form the storage case 101 as follows. Namely, with the rails 115 of the upper half 112 engaged, by sliding, into the corresponding engagement recesses 117 of the lower half 113, the upper and lower halves 112 and 113 are joined to each other, which will further be described later. Thus, the upper and lower halves 112 and 113 define together a space 116 for receiving a disc cartridge.
A disc cartridge is inserted into the reception space 116 of the storage case 111 through the insertion opening 114 in the same manner as when it is inserted into a disc player or disc drive. Namely, the lateral side of the disc cartridge is first inserted into the storage case 111. When the disc cartridge is received in the reception space 116, the catches 118 fall into the corresponding engagement cuts of the disc cartridge to retain it in place. The disc cartridge thus put in the storage case 111 can be taken out of the storage case 111 by holding, with fingers, the portion thereof exposed in the cuts 119 of the storage case 111.
More specifically, the storage case 101 is composed of the upper and lower halves 102 and 103 and the catches 108. The catches 108 are installed to the lower half 103, and thereafter the upper half 102 is assembled to the lower half 103 to form the storage case 101. Also, the storage case 111 consists of the upper and lower halves 112 and 113. The upper half 112 is assembled to the lower half 113 to form the storage case 111. An assembling equipment for these storage case 101 (111) has to include a device for installing the catches 108 to the rear inner surfaces of the rising walls 103a and 103b of the lower half 103, and a device for fixing the upper half 102 (112) to the lower half 103 (113). Thus the assembling equipment as a whole becomes complicated and could not be made smaller. Because it is necessary to join at least the upper half 102 (112) and lower half 103 (113) to each other, the assembling equipment for the storage case 101 (111) cannot attain a further higher productivity.
In the conventional disc cartridge storage case, the disc cartridge is to be introduced into the reception space 106 (116) of the storage case 101 (111) only in one limited direction. Namely, the disc cartridge cannot be inserted into the storage case 101 (111) in any desired direction and thus the storage case 101 (111) cannot conveniently be used.
Moreover, since the printed sheets 120 which will be placed on the bottom of the lower half 113 is secured only by the catch 121, there is a likelihood that the printed sheets 120 will be moved out of place as the disc cartridge is repeatedly inserted and removed into and out of the storage case 101 (111).